Flying
by flowerinthedistance
Summary: Poe waits for Finn to return from the Battle of Exegol (aka the finnpoe ending we deserved, featuring lots of Rose Tico). Oneshot. [Finn/Poe]


The rebel base is already alive with celebrations when Poe lands. He wanders through the crowd, hundreds of hands reaching to shake his own and voice after voice offering their congratulations.

He returns every single one, even with his legs weak and his arms shaking from the buzz of adrenaline under his skin. Flying always makes him feel like that – his whole body comes alive with it, his whole _soul_ – but this time he knows it's not just because of the flying. The First Order has fallen, _finally_, and in amongst the buzzing there's a feeling like learning to breathe.

"General Dameron!" a voice calls, and with it comes a face in the crowd – a face he knows. Poe pushes his way towards it, aching smile widening.

"Rose!" he says when he's close enough to be heard over the noise of the crowd. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

She hugs him tightly, and when she pulls away she's beaming like he's never seen before.

"We did it," she breathes. "We really did it." And even though she lets out a laugh as she says it, her hand is clinging to the pendant around her neck, and suddenly Poe thinks that maybe, just maybe, this means as much to her as to anyone else in the galaxy.

"We did," he says, and then he just hugs her again, because he doesn't really know what you say to someone who finally has justice for their dead sister.

"Have you seen Finn?" she asks, to his relief – except now his heart is lodged in his throat and he has to swallow to push it down again.

"Not yet – the Falcon's still out there. Lando wanted to see the job to the end."

"Of course he did." Rose makes an amused noise. "Finn too, probably. You know what he's like."

He gives her an exasperated look. "God, that stunt on the Star Destroyer…" he trails off, chewing his lip. It's like his heart constricts every time he thinks about it – Finn on the surface of that command ship, determined to take out the navigation, willing to do anything.

He can't think of the right word for it. It's not just bravery, what Finn does; there's more to it than that.

Whatever it is, it's frustrating as hell.

"What was he _thinking?"_ he cries, running a hand through his hair. "He would've died! There would've been another way, he didn't have to- there was no reason for him to-"

"It was his last attempt," Rose states, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"At what, _suicide_?"

She smiles slightly, eyes gentle in a way that makes him hear every word she says. "No, at saving what he loves."

And suddenly Poe knows exactly the right word. _Selfless_. _That's _what Finn is. Selfless to the end. Ready to die when it counts, sure, but still ready to die even when it might not.

And yes, it's frustrating, but Poe has to admit that he admires it just as much as he hates it.

(Poe also has to admit that 'admires' isn't the right word either. _Loves. Adores._)

"He's alright, Poe," says Rose softly. It's only then that Poe realises he's been looking up to the sky, desperately, as if he could will the Falcon to appear just by hoping.

"I know, sorry. Am I that easy to read?"

"You both are," she replies with a wry smile. And then – as if she's trying to explain herself – "I knew I never really had a chance with Finn."

"What d'you-"Poe starts to ask, but he's interrupted by a sudden cheer from the crowd around them. And just above that, he hears the gloriously familiar noise of a ship.

"It's the Falcon!" someone yells, and that's all it takes for Poe to start running. Except every other rebel seems to have the same idea, and he only gets close enough to the famous ship to be able to peer over the crowd, eyes searching frantically. He's only looking for one face –

(He's only ever looking for one face –)

But from where's he's standing he can barely see Chewie, let alone Finn.

Maybe there's been some mix-up. Maybe Finn never made it onto the Falcon after all and Lando was just mistaken. Maybe-

"Looking for a General, General?" he hears from behind him. His head whips around to follow the voice, but he already knows who it is. _Finn._

A blur of movement later and Poe has his head buried in Finn's neck, arms gripping his shoulders like they don't trust that he's real. And maybe they don't, because Poe can hardly believe it himself.

"It's so good to see you," he says, pulling away so that Finn might see how much he means it. "I thought I'd lost you back there."

"Never," Finn grins, and Poe can't help but notice how his eyes shine with it – can't help but stare at him wordlessly just to take him all in.

Can't help but lean in to kiss him because staring isn't enough.

It takes him a moment to realise that Finn's kissing him back (another few moments to believe it), but as soon as he does he reaches up and pulls him closer by the collar of his old jacket.

It's like nothing he could describe in words, kissing Finn. But there's a familiarity there, a feeling buzzing under his skin like the one he'd felt after landing. A feeling that makes his hands shake and his legs weak and his whole soul sing.

But then again, Finn's always felt like that. Like flying. Like learning to breathe.

-o-

**thanks for reading! i don't usually write star wars fics but i needed a way to channel my TROS disappointment lol - hope you enjoyed! **


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